Vehicle wheel



H. J. HORN VEHICLE WHEEL Aprifl 21 1935.

Filed Nov. 25, 1932 INVENTOR. Harry Jh om m5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEHICLE WHEEL Harry J. Horn, Lansing, Mich., assignor to Motor Wheel Corporation, Lansing, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,261 4 Claims. (Cl. 301-55) This invention relates to vehicle wheels and the hub shell In by the rivets IS. The hub atmore particularly to wheels embodying wire tach-ing flange I4 is provided with a plurality of spokes. The principal object of the invention is suitable openings I6 for the reception of conthe provision of a wire wheel of small diameter ventional securing bolts whereby the wheel is embodying a novel arrangement of the wire removably attached to a hub flange. 5 spokes. The hub shell I0 is disposed within and in con- In conventional wire wheels the spokes are centric relation to a tire carrying rim l3 of the usually arranged in two series, one series being drop center type. Any other type of rim or felloe connected to the forward portion of the hub shell may be used, if desired. The rim l3 and. hub

at their inner extremities and the other series Shell 9 are c nnected t g t e by m a s of a 10. being connected to the rear edge of the hub shell series of relatively l n p kes l1 and a series of at their inner extremities. The spokes of each relatively short spokes I8. series are inclined toward each other or intersect All of the spokes I1 and 18 are of the so-called at their outer extremities which are connected to pp yp n each Consists of a metal rod p the rim. By this arrangement of the two series Vided W a h ad '9 at One extremity and with 15 of spokes the wheel is strengthened against lat- X threads at the pp eXtremity- T e oral strains. In order to provide the necessary t r ad d xt i y f t sp k is nserted into torsional strength the spokes of each series are all interiorly t e d d n pple 0 provided with normally arranged in intersecting relation tov a slot on its outer surface for the reception of a each other. suitable tool whereby the same may be rotated The conventional arrangement of wire spokes to n e the threads of the spoke. The nipple cannot be used in the present day wheel of small nd of the spoke is preferably connected to the rim diameter and large hub shell diameter bethe base of Whichis provided With p y cause of the limited space available for the spokes. 0f u y arranged depressions bubbles 2| Considerable diificulty has been experienced in having central open for the reception Of t e arranging wire spokes in wheels of small diameter pp Any p of Spoke, Such as e SO-called whereby to provide a wheel of sufiicient strength welded or riveted spoke, may be used in place and durability. This invention provides a novel of the spokes here shown and described, if dearrangement or" parts adapted to overcome the s red. difficulty heretofore experienced in the manu- The short spokes l8 connect the rim [3 to the 30 facture of ll diameter wire whe ls, outwardly extending flange l2 formed at the rear For a better understanding of the invention of the Shell y are installed y nreference may now b had t th accompanying serting the threaded extremities thereof through drawing in which: openings 22 formed in the flange l2. When the Figure I is a partial view in side elevation of a pp 29 is tightened p n the aded eX- 5 wheel embodying t in enti tremity of the spoke the head l9 thereof is Figure II is a sectional view taken on substanr w a i he inn r f e f the flange l2 tially the line II-II of Figure I; about the op n ng 22. The long spokes I1 con- Figure III is a, partial plan iew of the base of neat the Illll 13 t0 the forward edge Of the hub the rim showing the arrangement of the openings Shell They are installed y inserting the 40 through which the outer extremity of the spokes threaded extremities thereof through p n s extend; and 23 provided for that purpose. They are then Figure 1v is a partial plan iew of a b 1 11 secured to the nipples 20 in the same manner as showing the arrangement of the openings the Spokes through which the inner extremities of the spokes The spokes I1 and [B are arranged in groups 45 extend. of four. The method of grouping is illustrated Figure V is a partial view in side elevation of a in Figure I by the spokes designated as a, b, c and wheel embodying a modified form of the invend. It will be observed that each group includes tion. two of the long spokes l1 and two of the short The vehicle wheel illustrated in Figures I and spokes I8. The order in which the spokes are 50 II consists of a generally cylindrical hub shell to secured to the rim and hub shell is illustrated provided with an inturned flange II at its forin Figures III and IV wherein the openings ward extremity and an outwardly turned flange through which the spokes of the group shown in l2 at its rear extremity. A hub attaching flange Figure I extend are identified by the correspond- I4 is preferably secured to the rear extremity of ing letters a, b, c and d. 5

The spokes a and b are spaced from each other and their outer extremities connected to the rim I 3 are inclined toward each other. The spokes c and d are connected to the rim l3 at the opposite sides of the spokes a and b and are inclined. toward each other whereby they intersect adjacent the hub shell I 0. The inner extremities of the spokes c and d are connected to the hub shell at points which lie in radial planes intermediate the radial planes of the openings to which the spokes a and b are connected. In this manner a very strong wheel is formed since the longitudinal planes of the spokes c and d intersect each other, and the longitudinal plane of each intersects the longitudinal plane of one of the spokes a and b. This arrangement together with the inclination of the spokes a and b toward each other at their outer extremities provides the necessary torsional strength in the wheel.

The arrangement of the spokes l! and I8, as shown in Figure II with their outer extremities inclined toward each other, provides the necessary lateral strength for the wheel.

In the modified construction shown in Figure V the long spokes l1 and the short spokes 13 are arranged in groups of four as previously described in connection with the wheel shown in Figures I and II. However, the spokes within the group are arranged in a different manner. In this case the long spokes l1 intersect each other adjacent their outer extremities and do not intersect the longitudinal plane of the shorter spokes. The short spokes do not intersect each other and are arranged with their outer extremities inclined away from each other. As in the embodiment shown in Figures I and II the longer intersecting spokes l1 and the shorter spaced apart spokes I8 are inclined toward each other at their outer extremities.

It should be observed, disregarding the grouping as previously described, that the spokes in both forms of the invention are connected to the rim I3 in pairs, alternate pairs having their inner extremities connected to opposite edges of the hub shell and each pair having their outer extremities relatively close together and their inner extremities relatively remote from each other. By this arrangement the maximum number of spokes may be utilized whereby to provide the necessary strength and durability for the wheel as a whole.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

.I claim:

1. In a vehicle wheel including a hub shell and a rim disposed in concentric relation to each other, means for connecting the hub shell and rim together consisting of a plurality of tension wire spokes arranged in groups of four, each group including a pair of intersecting spokes and a pair of spaced apart spokes, the outer extremity of each spoke in said last mentioned pair of spokes being inclined toward the outer extremity of the other spoke in the same pair, the outer extremities of both spokes in each of the aforesaid pairs of spokes being inclined toward but spaced from the outer extremities of the spokes in the other pair.

2. In a vehicle wheel including a hub shell and a rim disposed in concentric relation to each other, means for connecting the two together consisting of a plurality of groups of tension spokes, each group of tension spokes including a pair of short spokes spaced from each other but inclined toward each other at their outer extremities and a pair of relatively long spokes intersecting each other adjacent their inner extremities andhaving their outer extremities connected to the rim at the opposite sides of the pair of short spokes the outer extremities of the long and short spokes being inclined toward each other.

3. In a vehicle wheel including a hub shell and a rim disposed in concentric relation to each other, means for connecting the two together consisting of a plurality of identical groups of tension spokes, each group including a pair of intersecting tension spokes connected at their inner extremities to the forward portion or" the hub shell and a pair of spaced apart spokes connected at their inner extremities to the rear portion of the hub shell the outer extremities of said pairs of spokes being inclined toward each other.

4. In a vehicle wheel including a hub shell and a rim disposed in concentric relation to each other, means for connecting the two together consisting of a series of tension spokes having their opposite extremities connected to the forward portions of the hub shell and rim respectively, said spokes being arranged in pairs with their outer extremities inclined toward the rear of the wheel, each spoke of each of said pairs intersecting the other spoke of that pair, and a second series of tension spokes having their opposite extremities secured to the rear portions of the hub shell and rim respectively, each of the spokes of said second series of spokes being spaced throughout its length from the next adjoining Spokes and having its outer extremity inclined toward the front of the wheel.

HARRY J. HORN. 

